Racial inequities in school discipline

The Chicago Tribune’s recent editorial “Race and School Discipline” (Jan. 2) is a flawed and narrow take on racial disparities within school discipline practices.

The Federal Commission on School Safety, appointed by President Donald Trump in March 2018 and chaired by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, recently recommended rolling back Obama administration guidance to school districts that established protections for students of color and students with disabilities. The Tribune Editorial Board, as does the commission, argues those protections are unnecessary and that local districts should be allowed to set policies that work for their communities. On the surface, that may seem like a plausible recommendation. Until you review the facts.

Several studies have shown discrimination in student discipline. For example, research indicates that African-American and Latino students are more likely than their white peers to be expelled or suspended as a consequence for the same negative behavior. Even worse, African-American students are severely punished for small infractions, while their white counterparts who commit more serious infractions receive lesser punishments.

In other words, the issue is not simply that more students of color struggle with behavioral issues, as the Tribune argues. The issue is how that behavior is addressed.

In 2013-14, there were approximately 17.4 million more white students attending K-12 public schools than black students yet nearly 176,000 more black students than white students were suspended that school year.

Across all disciplinary actions (expulsions, suspensions, corporal punishment, referral to law enforcement and school-related arrests), black students, boys, and students with disabilities experienced disproportionate levels of discipline.

In K-12, black boys and girls were the only racial group where both sexes are disproportionately disciplined across all methods.

Black students accounted for 15.5 percent of all public school students, but represented about 39 percent of students suspended from school.

Black students represent 19 percent of preschool enrollment, but accounted for 47 percent of out-of-school suspension.

When data clearly demonstrate the disproportionate impact of institutionalized inequity, the federal government must step in to right those wrongs with policies that both attack the inequities that persist — and support all students.

As a libertarian-leaning conservative of long standing, I can safely say that conservative opposition to Warren has nothing to do with her gender. It is her politics with which we tend to disagree.

I and most of my friends would happily have supported, or did support, Nikki Haley for president, and many of us still hope that Condoleezza Rice will run some day. I can’t speak for Democrats, who appear to view everything through the lenses of gender and race, but I judge individuals as individuals.

Stevens cites a single hypothetical Ivy League study in support of her thesis, most likely of self-selecting graduate students, but longstanding real world evidence demonstrates that likability plays a huge role in the electability of male candidates as well.

Richard Nixon lost to JFK for many reasons, but likability was one. More recently, the far more accomplished Ted Cruz nearly lost to upstart Beto O’Rourke, with even conservative supporters acknowledging Cruz’s lack of likability. In between, George H.W. Bush lost his re-election bid to his more likable opponent Bill Clinton.

Warren is an accomplished and intelligent person, and I wish her well. But if she fails to obtain either the nomination or the White House, it won’t be because she’s a woman. It will either be because not enough voters support her policies or because, like Hillary Clinton, she tries too hard to pretend to be something she’s not.

If she wants to win, she should spend less time pausing to grab a beer during a speech to try show that she’s “just like one of you” and more time embracing the intelligence and passion that got her where she is today.